INSIDE THE CAGE: Pettis submits Henderson to claim lightweight title at UFC 164

At long last, Anthony Pettis finally grabbed the prize he so coveted this past Saturday night at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, as he used an armbar submission in the first-round to stop rival Benson Henderson and become the new UFC Lightweight champion.

By Nick Costa

The Herald News, Fall River, MA

By Nick Costa

Posted Sep. 4, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 4, 2013 at 4:22 AM

By Nick Costa

Posted Sep. 4, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 4, 2013 at 4:22 AM

» Social News

At long last, Anthony Pettis finally grabbed the prize he so coveted this past Saturday night at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, as he used an armbar submission in the first-round to stop rival Benson Henderson and become the new UFC Lightweight champion.

Pettis, (17-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) frustrated Henderson from the start, neutralizing his trademark wrestling ability by blocking several of Henderson’s takedown attempts early in the first round, only to respond with several hard body kicks.

Pettis closed out the fight by getting Henderson, (19-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) on the ground and worked from his back to secure a devastating armbar on Henderson forcing him to render a verbally submit, giving Pettis the victory.

“I never really thought that I’d win this fight on the ground,” said Pettis. “I felt good throughout the fight because I felt as though I was in full control after those shots to the body. We went down to the ground and Ben decided he was going to try and use his wrestling to gain an advantage, but I knew I was in full control. I saw an opening and used the armbar to finish him.”

Pettis is 2-0 in his MMA career against Henderson. Pettis’ first victory against him came in 2010, to win the now-defunct World Extreme Cage Fighting Lightweight title when he used a Bruce Lee-style karate kick on Henderson while climbing up and off the cage to help him win the bout.

The new champion did, however, pay a price in the midst of his shining moment. Pettis stated that he felt a “popping” sound in his knee during the fight. He said that he will have an MRI this week to determine the extent of the damage.

Moving forward, Pettis said there is only one man he’d like to face next in a true superfight: UFC Featherweight champion Jose Aldo Jr. The two fighters have a bit of recent history between them. The two were scheduled to fight each other in Brazil at “UFC 163” in Brazil on Aug. 3.

Unfortunately, for Pettis, he sustained a tear of the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in his right knee while training for the bout. The injury forced Pettis to withdraw from the fight. He was replaced by Korean Chan Sung Jung, who went on to lose to the 145-pound champ in Aldo’s home country.

The tension between the two began when Aldo’s coach implied that Pettis was faking his injury to avoid fighting his client.

Pettis, who may have no choice but to face lightweight contender TJ Grant next, clearly has Aldo firmly in his sights. “We have unfinished business,” noted Pettis. “I’m out to prove that I’m the best in the world.

“Aldo’s coach said I faked an injury. I would never fake an injury. I’m not afraid to fight anybody. If he wants to fight me, let’s make it happen. I’m ready.”

Page 2 of 3 - As for Henderson, he feels as though he deserves a third chance at Pettis to reclaim his crown. UFC President Dana White doesn’t see a third Pettis-Henderson matchup in the organization’s future plans, saying he doesn’t believe fans will have much of an appetite for another bout between the two.

“There’s no denying who won this fight, and it was first-round annihilation,” said White.

Although some UFC fans disagree with him on this topic, White is right. With the exception of next month’s third battle for the UFC Heavyweight championship between current champ Cain Velasquez and former champ Junior Dos Santos, with the score one fight apiece,f ans don’t want to see rematches and trilogies of a fight unless they’re worth spending $55 per pay-per-view event.

The reason why boxing is failing is because promoters constantly give fans fights in which one fighter is overmatched by the other and performances don’t live up to the hype that commands a $70 price tag.

The UFC won’t do those types of fights unless they feature two established stars who they feel can deliver big at the box office and with huge pay-per-view buy rates. The mystique of Benson Henderson– a much bigger, physical lightweight – is lost. He has met his match in Pettis.

After healing from his arm injury sustained during the fight, Henderson knows that this a second loss to the same opponent, who also took his belt away, leaves him looking to climb a long road and needing to beat top lightweight contenders if he is to have any chance of regaining the gold.

Rousey, Tate set to coach: Before they square off in a pay-per-view rematch at “UFC 168” Dec. 28 in Las Vegas, UFC women’s bantamweight champion and entertainment superstar “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey and Miesha “Cupcake” Tate get a chance to renew their hot rivalry when the two ladies square off as coaches for season 18 of “The Ultimate Fighter”, which debuts Wednesday night with a two-hour season premiere on Fox Sports 1 at 10 P.M. The will air multiple times throughout the week. Check your local listings.

This season of “The Ultimate Fighter” will mark the first time female coaches will be involved on the show and the first time both men and women live and train together. The winners will earn six-figure UFC contracts. All 32 contestants are bantamweights, or 135-pound contestants.

UFC President Dana White says this latest installment of “The Ultimate Fighter” may be the best one yet.

“Obviously the fierce rivalry between Ronda and Miesha is going to get everyone’s attention, but it doesn’t take away from their dedication and success as coaches and the level of talent this season. One of the things that always makes ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ great is the fights, and this season continues to deliver.”

Page 3 of 3 - Whatever happens this season on “The Ultimate Fighter”, the show will be appointment viewing for any fight fan and the continuation of a new era for the UFC.

Information from MMAJunkie.com writers Steve Marrocco and John Morgan was used in this report